Methods and Apparatus for Identifying Electronic Shelf Labels with Which Communication Has Been Lost

1. An electronic shelf label, comprising: a memory for storing one or more of a plurality of actions to be taken by the label, the memory comprising a plurality of registers including sequence registers for storing timing sequences for controlling actions to be taken, one or more of the available actions including lost communication actions calling attention to the label if communication between the label and an electronic shelf label communication base station is lost, at least one of the sequence registers being a lost communication sequence register directing execution of the lost communication action; and a processor for selecting the actions to be taken by the label, the processor being operative to select the lost communication action by selecting the lost communication sequence register as an active sequence register if no communication specifically addressed to the label is received by the label during a specified time.

2. The label of claim 1 , wherein the lost communication actions include display of a lost communication message and wherein the label further includes a display screen for displaying a message.

3. The label of claim 2 , wherein at least one lost communication sequence register specifies a predetermined nonzero time duration for display of the lost communication message.

4. An electronic shelf label, comprising: a memory for storing one or more of a plurality of actions to be taken by the label, one or more of the available actions including lost communication actions calling attention to the label if communication with the label is lost; a processor for selecting the actions to be taken by the label, the processor being operative to select the lost communication action if no communication specifically addressed to the label is received by the label during a specified time, wherein the memory comprises a plurality of registers, the registers including sequence registers for storing timing sequences for controlling actions to be taken, at least one of the sequence registers being a lost communication sequence register directing execution of a lost communication action, and wherein the lost communication sequence register is selected as an active sequence register if no communication specifically addressed to the label is received by the label during a specified time, wherein the lost communication actions include display of a lost communication message and wherein the label further includes a display screen for displaying a message, wherein at least one lost communication sequence register specifies a nonzero time period during which the lost communication message is to be displayed; and a scheduled sequence register storing a selection of one of the sequence registers as active, and wherein the scheduled sequence register stores a selection of the lost communication sequence register as an active sequence register along with a schedule for executing the selection of the lost communication sequence register as active.

5. The label of claim 4 , wherein the label is further operative to periodically receive an updated schedule for selection of the lost communication sequence register as active.

6. The label of claim 5 , wherein the label is operative to receive the updated schedule for selection of the lost communication sequence register as active in a communication specifically addressed to the label.

7. The label of claim 6 , wherein the label is operative to receive the updated schedule for selection of the lost communication register as active at a time prior to the most recently updated scheduled time for selection of the lost communication sequence register as active.

8. A communication controller for managing communication with an electronic shelf label, comprising: a communication interface for communicating messages and commands to be transmitted to the label and receiving responses passed from the electronic shelf labels; and a processor for preparing messages and commands to be transmitted to the electronic shelf labels, the processor being operative to transmit a lost communication action for execution by the electronic shelf label and to transmit a command specifying a time at which execution of the lost communication action will occur if communication specifically addressed to the label is not received by the label before the specified time.

9. The communication controller of claim 8 , wherein the lost communication action includes an action by the label calling attention to the label.

10. The communication controller of claim 9 , wherein the lost communication action includes display of a lost communication message.

11. The communication controller of claim 10 , wherein the processor is operative to issue a command to the label scheduling execution of the lost communication action at the specified time and, periodically thereafter and before the specified time, to issue a new command rescheduling execution of the lost communication action to a new and later specified time.

12. The communication controller of claim 9 , wherein the processor is operative to direct transmission of a lost communication message to the label for storage in a display register of the label, wherein the processor is further operative to direct transmission to the label of a time sequence for storage in a lost communication sequence register of the label, the time sequence calling for display of the lost communication message, and wherein the processor is further operative to direct transmission of a scheduled sequence for storage in a scheduled sequence register, the scheduled sequence directing selection of the lost communication sequence register as an active sequence register at a specified time.

13. The communication controller of claim 12 , wherein the processor is operative to periodically transmit to the label an updated scheduled sequence rescheduling selection of the lost communication sequence register to a new specified time later than a time specified by the most recently updated scheduled sequence.

14. A method of identification of an electronic shelf label with which communication has been lost, comprising the steps of: programming an electronic shelf label with a lost communication action; and programming the electronic shelf label to execute the lost communication action if a command specifically addressed to the label is not received by the label before a specified time, programming the electronic shelf label to execute the lost communication action comprising transmitting a lost communication time sequence to the label directing a time sequence for execution of the lost communication action and transmitting a command scheduling selection of the lost communication time sequence so as to cause selection of the lost communication time sequence as an active sequence if a message specifically addressed to the label does not occur before the specified time by periodically transmitting a command updating the specified time at which selection of the lost communication time sequence as active will occur, transmission of the command updating the specified time occurring before the most recently updated specified time.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein transmission of the command updating the specified time is specifically addressed to the label.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the lost communication action is display of a lost communication message.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the time sequence for execution of the lost communication action is a time sequence directing continuous display of the lost communication message.